The Modern Moderate calls out politicians, hacks, and talking heads on all sides when they engage in dishonesty, hate-mongering, and other sins. Unfortunately, they’re giving TMM plenty of job security for that effort.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), pandering to pro-choice demonstrators at the Supreme Court recently, stepped over the line. Schumer seemingly threatened Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, saying “you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you”. Nobody believed Schumer was threatening physical harm; he was speaking rhetorically about political consequences. But still…

In these super-heated, partisan-warfare times, even veiled political threats are dangerous. They give the other side openings to feign indignation (while ignoring their own side’s similar misbehavior), portray their opponents as destructive – and fire back at them.

What point was Schumer making? Gorsuch and Kavanaugh are sitting justices; as lifetime appointees (for better or worse), they will never face voters. What “whirlwind” are they facing? We can surmise he was linking the Court’s decisions (and Gorsuch and Kavanaugh’s votes on them) to political ramifications for President Trump, who appointed them, and Republican Senators who confirmed them. If so, why not blame them, and leave justices out of it?

To be fair, let’s also condemn Trump’s frequent attacks on judges at all levels, ignoring our time-honored tradition of a separate, independent judiciary (the critical third branch of our government). You know, the branch supposedly nonpartisan and free of politics. Paraphrasing those great philosophers, Pink Floyd: “hey, leaders, leave them courts alone”.

Anyway, Schumer can’t seem to strike the right tone. When he SHOULD voice outrage in the Senate, when Trump and Republicans deserve reprimand, he shuffles to the podium, eyeglasses perched on the middle of his nose, and meekly reads a professorial tome. That’ll teach ‘em, Chuck!

Then when addressing a charged-up crowd of protestors, he does voice outrage – inappropriately, giving Republicans political ammo against Democrats.

Speaking of inappropriate outrage, Don Trump, Jr., didn’t step over the line recently, he JUMPED over it. Discussing Coronavirus on Fox News, he said “for Democrats to try to take a pandemic and seemingly hope it comes here and kills millions of people so they could end Donald Trump’s streak of winning is a new level of sickness”.

Junior wasn’t called out, like he should have been, by Democrats or the media. Maybe sometimes ignoring him, like a two-year-old throwing a temper tantrum, is best. But when he was criticized, he doubled down, saying he’s “entitled to speak with hyperbole”. Sure, if you define hyperbole as hysterical, hateful BS.

Don, if your claims are true, we join you in condemning Democrats who said such things. If not, we condemn YOU for lying and hate-mongering to anger your followers, further dividing our country.

Time to put up or shut up: who were these Democrats, and what did they say? Name names and reveal their statements.

We suspect you won’t. First, because nobody actually said those things; second, because you would be sued for libel for claiming they did.

Modern Moderates have an urgent request for politicians, hacks, and talking heads on all sides: for the good of our country, put up or shut up. If you can’t back up what you’re saying with facts and fairness – PLEASE SHUT UP.